My smallest dog would love a heated pad, she is not a cold-weather dog and when it gets below 60 in the house, she’s under the quilt with me. Me, I like the sensation of being under a warm quilt but with the ambient temperature cool. I visited a friend who’s in hospital yesterday and it was warm and stuffy…no fresh air. I’d be miserable.
I don’t shut my furnace off either, but the thermostat is set at 50 and it’s come on a couple of times already. I keep hearing that we’re going to have another long and cold winter…I love winter weather but last year was a little much. Pretty please no more polar freezes and 8 days without power because of ice storms and no mail for two weeks and falling frozen trees and innumerable white-knuckle commutes.
The wife and I talked about getting one but decided against it because we have a 19-month old and it hurt our ability to gauge the temperature. We don’t want to be all nice and warm because of our mattress pad but have the kid freezing.
What are some things I should be prepared for? I know I should have an emergency kit. What should that entail?
Just turned mine on this morning. It’s down to 54ºF in the house and the cats were huddled into little balls of fur so I figured it was time to toasty it up a bit.
Where exactly do you live? What you need depends upon how long it take to get resupplied. In the city of Boston or the close-in suburbs, you can probably walk to stores. The further you get into the willy-wags, the further you need to travel. Always have ample supplies for the kid. I assume you and your spouse are relitivly healthy and can tighten your belts for a few days.
Heat still off here, tho it did get into the 30’s overnights in the last week. 70’s and humid today in southern NH.
Same here and I’m in central BC at 53N latitude. At this moment is is bright and sunny and 81F but it will dip to 40F tonight. we did have our first frost about a week ago and the leaves have turned and are falling. It’s really pretty out but I know the cold and snow will be here soon.
in case you have to hang out by your car. I carry a snow shovel in car as well.
In your house: What kind of heat do you have? Are you in the city and we can assume you are on city water? How is your water heated? As mentioned, it’s different if you’re in the country on a well and won’t have water if the electricity goes out and you don’t have a generator.
For your car, have boots, a sleeping bag, a candle (the kind poured in a glass) and matches. The candle is for warmth if you get stuck in a remote place. Also carry a small shovel and some kitty litter or sand to use if you get stuck in a snow drift.
For home, be prepared for an electrical outage, especially if your house has above-ground wires instead of buried cable. Candles and matches are good. So is a good flashlight. Perhaps a non-electric heater but be careful with that around a small child.
For the car: A snow shovel, and a piece of scrap carpet (or kitty litter) for traction if you get hung up on ice or snow. These two items are ALWAYS in my vehicles and have been put to use too, either for me or others who get stuck. I have to drive a lot and have learned to be prepared. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it…
For home: Candles and matches, flashlights (plural), lots of extra batteries, some sort of non-electric heater, for preventing your pipes from freezing at the very least. Generator if you can afford one.
A car charger so you can charge mobile devices. Last year my power was out for eight days during the giant ice storm…and car chargers were sold out in stores within the first day. That became a real issue!
LED lanterns, and extra batteries for it. A windup/solar powered radio. We have a big lantern that burns oil, but animals and small kids are attracted to it like moths to a flame, literally. Inside, canned goods and a can opener. Not an electric can opener. Practice with it so you aren’t surprised when the lights go out.
I haven’t, but some buildings have. And I hate them. I finally made it to the days when I am not sweating through my clothes just from sitting in a room, and people are running heat when it’s in the 60s. WTF.
Actually, I was this evening. I wanted to see if my dash high beam light was still far too bright following my placing a layer of teflon tape inside the dash. It worked – now the light is easily seen but is no longer blinding.
